Active Obscelecense

[mustang1]

I don't particularly see an issue here, it's not really a new thing or a surprise.

Yeah, the prices can be extortionate, but if I was into tech and could afford it I'd be OK with it.

I dont see the problem either. We can alter the code to make your device become 'old' after a month in which case you can upgrade your phone every month if you like. I haven't read the article yet (my guess is there is no explicit evidence in there) but deliberately reducing the performance of a product is not on. It's akin to buying a car that does 0-60 in 10 seconds, and then a year later due to a patch update, it does it in 15 seconds. Without the patch, it continues at 10s until components start wearing down due to use; code does not "wear down".

 

[mustang1]

My wife got a replacement style contract so she gets the new phone whenever it’s released and trades in the old one.

My friend has a car like that. Leasing. He will be paying until, well, until he no longer needs a car. He knows about it and is fine with it.

 

[mustang1]

This bit may be true, and is supported by the article.


This bit is speculation.

You might be right, but you might not. Performance costs power, so reducing performance slightly could counter the declining battery life...for example.

The main reason I’m not bothered is that the product is meant to be replaced every two* years. That’s the Apple paradigm, and always has been. Devices are made obsolete by lack of support, iOS versions it can’t run, features it can’t have, apps that no longer work...even if the battery thing were deliberate, it’s a drop in the ocean.

They claimed to have dropped the white goods approach years ago but they haven’t. Your washing machine has a warranted period of two* years and falls apart after two* years and three weeks like clockwork. iPhones are the same.

*Or whatever time period it’s meant to be.

I like the "reduced performance to deal with reduced battery capacity argument." I hadn't thought of that. I@m glad Toyota does not follow this approach. They (used to offer) 1-3 years (cant recall what) warranty on their cars yet they are some of the most reliable around and continue going for many years. Recently they;ve upgraded to 5 year warranty but I dont buy a Toyota with the view of it needing to be replaced after 5 years.

Windows XP is a case in point. That OS ragged on for donkeys years year MSFT still supported it. Ubuntu has different flavours (the long term support version which doesnt get new features, and the normal one. I usually go with the LTS version as I have other things to do apart from upgrading an OS yet again.

I do NOT mind planned obsolescence but i wish the companies would tell me about it when i buy the product. Your phone will last 1 year, your computer will last 2 years, and your car will last 20 years if it's a Toyota, or 6 months if it's not.

 

[mustang1]

Well yeah, but I'm not sure those are relatable examples. Batteries degrade, as do other components, OS updates introduce features which require more power. There's a whole range of factors at play.

I agree with this too (batteries degrade) but not the next bit (..and other components too - like which ones?).

If OS updates introduce features that require more power, give us the choice of whether we want to install said features. If we dont, then after a certain time, we get a message saying "either update the features and get reduced performance, or get lost, or get a new phone". I really wouldn't mind that so long as they are upfront about it.

 

[mustang1]

Samsung are as bad in my experience

The only thing they come out with those, is their number one killer feature: the new model has, wait for it, a larger screen than the previous model. Halalujah.

 

[mustang1]

OTOH, the same company did a warranty repair on my Note 4 in the "grace" period they give after the warranty has actually ended. Mainboard replaced (ordered in from Germany, apparently), phone as good as new, no charge to me.

My old car's headlight was replaced. The dealer replaced the bulb. The headlight would not come on. The dealer said I needed to do a software upgrade and as a good will gesture, they will pay £270 of the £300 to do so if I fork out the remaining £30. I told them "sure, just fix the effing light, do or dont do a software update, that's up to you". I got the "£300" software update for free.

For £300 they can be polite to my nuts.

 

[John the Monkey]

My old car's headlight was replaced. The dealer replaced the bulb. The headlight would not come on. The dealer said I needed to do a software upgrade and as a good will gesture, they will pay £270 of the £300 to do so if I fork out the remaining £30. I told them "sure, just fix the effing light, do or dont do a software update, that's up to you". I got the "£300" software update for free.

For £300 they can be polite to my nuts.

Your story has touched my heart. I find myself overcome.

 

[brucers]

Closer to home, Volkswagen.

Apple havent tried to hide their abandonment of the older 32 bit architecture in some of their older phones and tablets. They will no longer be supported or update to iOS 11.


The worst example of which has to be the US motor industry who produced many unsafe cars which was exposed and highlighted by Ralph Nader.

 

[J1888]

[QUOTE 5085826, member: 43827"]Ftfy

The performance of iPods also appears to deteriorate badly after a couple of years compared to Samsung tablets. (Although I see J1888 obviously has a different experience of Samsung)[/QUOTE]

I've had two Samsung smartphones, both of which were flagship models at the time - the S3 and the S7 Edge (my current phone). Both were great at first, but after a few months, the issues crept in, the battery life became crap. I don't have much installed on my phone in terms of apps etc.

I contacted Samsung re. the S7 Edge and they were not interested in the slightest, basically said that I should just wipe everything and reinstall. Great. thanks for that.

 

[smutchin]

I'm still using an iPhone 5S (now the oldest model that is still supported) and generally find the performance to be fine - I can't say I've noticed it becoming especially slower over time.

However, it has developed one annoying quirk, which is that it will sometimes shut down and demand to be recharged even though moments before it was showing >20% battery. I'm guessing that's to do with what it says in the Guardian piece about the degraded battery not being able to supply enough current for apps that require more processor power. Interesting.

Anyway, I'm sticking with my 5S for now - it's still fine for my needs. I decided last time my contract expired that I will never sign up to a long term phone contract ever again, so I will only buy a new phone when I can afford to buy it outright.

 

[Crackle]

I'm still using an iPhone 5S (now the oldest model that is still supported) and generally find the performance to be fine - I can't say I've noticed it becoming especially slower over time.

However, it has developed one annoying quirk, which is that it will sometimes shut down and demand to be recharged even though moments before it was showing >20% battery. I'm guessing that's to do with what it says in the Guardian piece about the degraded battery not being able to supply enough current for apps that require more processor power. Interesting.

Anyway, I'm sticking with my 5S for now - it's still fine for my needs. I decided last time my contract expired that I will never sign up to a long term phone contract ever again, so I will only buy a new phone when I can afford to buy it outright.

That's what I do now. I don't really need a top end phone though, so something like the Moto G5 which I've just bought, does me fine. It only lacks a magnetometer and NFC.

 

[BoldonLad]

OK. I own up. I am an Apple Slave. I have iPad, iPhone, iPod, MacBook.

I (and/or) Mrs @BoldonLad have Samsung S7, Windows Laptop, Ubuntu Laptops.

I suppose, I am a technology slave, rather than an Apple Slave, I just love it all!

What makes me smile with reference to the "Apple Bashers" is, that just about every criticism levelled at Apple can also be levelled at the competition (Microsoft, Google, Android etc etc).

In terms of price, the Apple products are not actually that expensive, if you compare like with like. Try comparing the price of an iPhone 8 or iPhoneX, with the price of a top of the range Samsung S8. Similarly, compare the price of a similar specification Windows PC with a MacBook.

As someone said above, if you can afford it, and you want it, then, what is the problem.

Living, as I do, in a "deprived area", I do wonder about the number of school children I see on public transport, with iPhones (iPhone 6 and later). Three of my four school age grandchildren have iPhones (iPhone7), not paid for by me I add. Clearly, there is cash (or debt) available.

 

[swee'pea99]

What makes me smile with reference to the "Apple Bashers" is, that just about every criticism levelled at Apple can also be levelled at the competition (Microsoft, Google, Android etc etc).

As someone said above, if you can afford it, and you want it, then, what is the problem.

I don't think anyone has any problem with the idea of people paying a premium price for a premium product - it's their money. The problem lies in the suggestion that Apple are doing something 'the competition (Microsoft, Google, Android etc etc)' don't do, which is to hobble their old products to encourage people to buy their new products. If they are doing this, then it's definitely naughty.

The suggestion that they're deliberately slowing down their old phones to compensate for the reduced performance that comes with battery deterioration is an interesting one, but the fact that they haven't thought to mention any such policy seems telling to me. And if they have adopted such a policy, they should, it seems to me, at least have the grace to inform the customers who have bought their expensive products in good faith, and made them the biggest company in the world.

 

[stephec]

Where is @Markymark when you need him? Playing with his iPhone X I guess.

He's got a flat battery.

 

[BoldonLad]

He's got a flat battery.

Not flat, just degraded